Ammunition comes in a vast array of calibers and brands. Retail display of ammunition will often include dozens of different products. The consumer will enter the ammunition area of a store and typically know the size ammunition that he wants to purchase and may or may not be loyal to a particular brand. The most common caliber of ammunition sold on a retail level is, by far, 22 caliber long rifle ammunition. The cartridges in almost all cases having a brass case and gray or copper colored bullet, reflecting the exposed material of the bullet, either lead or copper (or copper alloys). Packaging for 22 caliber ammunition is primarily cardboard boxes with the cartridges packaged in orderly rows and columns. Typically the box has the bullets in a plastic tray having a matrix of receiving holes for the cartridges. The cartridges are protected from damage from one another by the securement of the bullets in the holes and their separation from contact with one another. Typically, viewing the actual product is not possible without opening the package. Some brands of 22 caliber long rifle ammunition may be sold in transparent or translucent polymer cases where some of the rows of the cartridges are partially visible. Such ammunition may also be sold in bulk, in loose packed boxes and polymer tubs. 22 caliber long rifle cartridges are seen as a commodity, they are very inexpensive compared to other cartridges, often less than ten cents per cartridge. The performance of different brands of 22 caliber long rifle cartridges are for many buyers, practicably indistinguishable. Price, innovative packaging, and any product innovation that is apparent by way of the innovative packaging, may turn the purchasing decision toward that particular packaged ammunition at retail establishments.
For such retail settings, particularly stores, the packaging must be easily manageable by the store employees and by the customers, that is, easily graspable and not too heavy. Additionally the package needs to be adequately marked and/or the product displayed to assure the customer they are purchasing what they want.
Considering the numerous brands of such ammunition, and the conventional box packaging, any new packaging particularly associated with the display of a new product that is cost effective, and generates greater sales for that new product would be welcome by the particular brand or manufacturer of said new product. Moreover, to the extent that such packaging is environmentally friendly that would also be an advantage.